This is the semi-official blog for the Northwest/Forest Park Home Community of Imago Dei Community Church in Portland Oregon.
We meet every Tuesday from 7 - 9 PM.
Please note that, while we're all intelligent, witty and wonderful people, what we write here does not necessarily represent the views of our church as a whole.

Monday, April 28, 2008

From me? Or from God?

If you’re like me, you often have trouble discerning whether your motives are derived from yourself or from God. Of course, if you’re like me, you’re still eating PB+J three times a week at age 30.

The question of motive is a difficult one. Am I walking with God or walking with myself? I’d imagine everyone has asked this at some point.

Too often I allow this crisis of motive to paralyze my decision making. I’m always “waiting to hear from God” or “praying about what He wants me to do.” On some level that process is a good one. We should seek the Lord when making significant (and even minor) decisions.

Yet this method of decision-making can also present a lack of faith in Him. Ultimately I should trust that He has “trained” our hearts in such a way where we can follow our instincts. Revelation 3:7 tells us that Jesus has “placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” That’s the sort of thing we (or at least I) always focus on. Depending on His will, we can do anything. We've heard that before. What deserves equal focus is the second half of that verse, where we’re told “what he shuts no one can open.”

The "what he shuts no one can open" part of the verse is one we should focus on once we make our Great Big Decision. This is when I should ask for God to make obvious if the decision was based on the God – Mike partnership or on the Mike – Mike one. If it’s the latter, I have to trust that He’ll close the door. Once He does that, no one can open it.

(especially not someone who still relies on peanut butter and jelly to get him through his day)